


I’m Only Here to Establish an Alibi

by mallornblossom



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:42:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24987736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mallornblossom/pseuds/mallornblossom
Summary: Nelyafinwë might be in a little bit of trouble, unless Kurufinwë can help him.Response to the prompt "I'm only here to establish an alibi" over on Tumblr.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	I’m Only Here to Establish an Alibi

Kurufinwë was truly and completely exhausted. After many long hours hovering in the shadow of his father in the forge, the time he finally got to himself was filled with one failure after another. After a day like that, where nothing seemed to go as planned, nothing sounded better to the young  _ nér  _ than a warm bath, a soft bed…

But perhaps the world had other plans for his night.

Just as he was beginning to disrobe, as soon as his shirt hit the ground a frantic knock came at his door. He sighed, and contemplated simply ignoring it. Except from the other side of the wooden door came the panicked voice of his eldest brother. 

“Come on Kurvo, I know you’re in there. I just need a minute of your time, I promise!”

It was unusual to hear Nelyafinwë’s voice convey anything but confidence or brotherly authoritarianism, and panic was especially unusual. He had always been considered the most levelheaded of the seven of them. Kurufinwë pulled a robe around his bare shoulders and only had the door open a crack when a rush of grey fabric and flaming red hair pushed its way into the candle lit bedroom. 

“Yes, of course you can come in,” muttered Kurvo, rolling his eyes and closing the door behind him. When he turned he could see that Nelyafinwë looked particularly frazzled. He stood beside the bed, visibly shaken, and while one hand massaged his temples the other was preoccupied with something in his pocket. His breathing was unstable, evidence that he had ran from… whatever it was he had been running from. “Good lord, what’s gotten into you tonight?”

“Look... I’m only here to establish... an alibi. Otherwise... I’m in deep trouble... with  _ atya _ ,” he said, in between attempts to catch his breath. 

“What?” In the flickering candle light he could see the mess of Nelyo’s hair, bits of leaves tucked in between the silky strands. The mud that caked his boots and the splashes of mud littering the back of his knee-length tunic told Kurufinwë that he had most likely come through the woods nestled behind their home.

“Nowadays it seems  _ Atya _ will listen to you before he listens to me. And I need a favour from you.”

“O...okay?” It was true that ever since their father began to deteriorate he had been coming more and more to his fifth born with his thoughts and feelings towards those around him. It seemed their father felt that he could only put his trust into his namesake. ‘What would that be?”

“I know for a fact that he’ll be here any minute, and I need you to tell him that I’ve been with you for at least the last hour.”

“What did you do now?”

“Nothing! Well, nothing bad. Not normally, but you know how  _ atya  _ is now. He doesn’t trust anybody.”

“Nelyo.  _ What did you do _ ?”

Nelyafinwë sighed. “One of his guards caught me leaving Ñolofinwë’s home.”

Kurufinwë could only agree that his older brother would, indeed, be in deep trouble with their father.  _ Really _ deep. 

“Were you visiting Findekano again?”

“Of course I was! Look, there’s no reason  _ we _ should be dragged into his delusions! If I want to visit my friend, then I’m going to visit him. I’m not a child for him to control.”

“Do you really think your friendship is worth potentially inciting the wrath of  _ atya _ ?”

“Well, yeah. I cannot only see my own family day in and day out. It’s not like I’m the only one in this family - !”

Before he could get the rest of his sentence out, the door to Kurvo’s room slammed open, and in its place stood their clearly seething father.

“Is it true?”

Both brothers put on the best possible face of feigned innocence. Nelyafinwë was still in the process of attempting to catch his breath, though now he was doing his best impression of someone breathing normally. 

“Is what true,  _ atya _ ?” said Kurufinwë, trying his best to keep his face neutral.

“Not you. Nelyafinwë. Tell me if it’s true?”

Nelyafinwë was leaning against the post of Kurufinwë’s bed, his lips pursed as if he was thinking. “I’m not sure. What are you talking about?”

“Ríniel says that she saw you leaving…  _ his _ home tonight. And there are only so many towering red heads in Tirion.

“Hmm… no. Why would I visit them? I’ve been with Kurvo all evening.” 

Feanaro looked between his two sons. 

“Is this true,  _ Kurvo _ ?” the  _ nér  _ in question wasn’t particularly pleased with the accusatory way their father said his name. He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

“Of course it is. He was visiting me in the forge.”

“Tell me, then, why you’re caked in mud and leaves, Nelyafinwë?” 

“Oh, Turko invited me on a hunt earlier today. I didn’t get a chance to change.”

Feanaro again shifted his gaze from one son the other, before letting his narrowed eyes settle on his eldest. “Hmm. Fine. I suppose Ríniel  _ was  _ mistaken. I’m sure Turkafinwe has an equally good story to tell.”

Their father shut the door behind him, and immediately Nelyo’s shoulders dropped.

“I suppose I should get a head start on him, then. Hopefully this is the last alibi for me to craft tonight.” And with that, Kurufinwë’s eldest brother slipped back the way he came.


End file.
